CTP - Certified Telehealth Practitioner Telehealth Service Delivery Models Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A primary care physician in a rural clinic takes high-resolution images of a patient's suspicious mole and securely transmits them, along with the patient's history, to a dermatologist at a different location for evaluation. The dermatologist reviews the information later and sends back a report. This interaction is best described as which telehealth model?
- Store-and-Forward (Asynchronous) (Correct answer)
- Real-Time (Synchronous)
- Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)
- Direct-to-Consumer (DTC)
Correct answer: Store-and-Forward (Asynchronous)
This is a classic example of store-and-forward telehealth, where clinical data is captured and stored before being transmitted to a provider for assessment at a later time. It is asynchronous because the two providers are not communicating in real-time.
Question 2: A large urban medical center provides specialty services, such as tele-stroke and tele-ICU consultations, to several smaller, regional clinics and community hospitals. The central medical center acts as the 'hub' with the specialists, and the outlying facilities are the 'spokes'. Which service delivery model does this arrangement represent?
- Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Model
- Networked Model
- Hub-and-Spoke Model (Correct answer)
- Point-to-Point Connection
Correct answer: Hub-and-Spoke Model
The hub-and-spoke model connects a central hub of expertise (often a tertiary care center) to multiple smaller sites (spokes) to provide specialized care, leveraging limited specialist resources across a wider geographic area.
Question 3: Which of the following is the PRIMARY purpose of the Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) service delivery model?
- To provide urgent care for acute, minor illnesses via a mobile app.
- To facilitate provider-to-provider consultations for complex cases.
- To conduct initial psychiatric evaluations for new patients in real-time.
- To collect and monitor patient physiologic data outside of a clinical setting. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: To collect and monitor patient physiologic data outside of a clinical setting.
The core function of RPM is to use digital technologies to collect medical and other health data from individuals in one location (usually their home) and electronically transmit that information to health care providers in a different location for assessment and recommendations. This is typically used for chronic disease management.
Question 4: A college student with symptoms of a common cold uses a smartphone application to connect with an available physician for a quick diagnosis and prescription. The service is marketed directly to patients and offers on-demand access. This is an example of which telehealth service delivery model?
- eConsult Model
- Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Model (Correct answer)
- Provider-to-Provider Model
- Hub-and-Spoke Model
Correct answer: Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Model
The Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) model allows patients to directly access healthcare services online or through an app without a referral, often for low-acuity conditions. It emphasizes convenience, affordability, and on-demand care.
Question 5: Which of the following scenarios best illustrates the use of an eConsult model?
- A patient uses a wearable ECG device that sends data to their cardiologist's office daily.
- A patient has a live video visit with a neurologist to discuss migraine treatment.
- A primary care provider sends a patient's case information to a specialist to ask for treatment advice and determine if a full referral is necessary. (Correct answer)
- A patient downloads a mobile app to track their diet and exercise, which their health coach can view.
Correct answer: A primary care provider sends a patient's case information to a specialist to ask for treatment advice and determine if a full referral is necessary.
An eConsult is a specific type of asynchronous, provider-to-provider consultation. It enables a primary care provider to obtain input from a specialist to manage a patient's care, often avoiding the need for a face-to-face specialist visit. The other options describe Remote Patient Monitoring, synchronous care, and mHealth, respectively.
Question 6: A key distinction between synchronous and asynchronous telehealth is that synchronous telehealth involves:
- The use of mobile health applications for data tracking.
- A live, real-time interaction between the patient and provider. (Correct answer)
- The transmission of medical images for later review by a specialist.
- Collecting vital signs from a patient's home over a period of time.
Correct answer: A live, real-time interaction between the patient and provider.
Synchronous telehealth is defined by its real-time nature, where the patient and provider interact at the same time, typically via live video or audio. Asynchronous, or 'store-and-forward,' involves the collection of data that is reviewed by the provider at a later time.
CTP - Certified Telehealth Practitioner Telehealth Service Delivery Models Questions and Answers
A primary care physician in a rural clinic takes high-resolution images of a patient's suspicious mole and securely transmits them, along with the patient's history, to a dermatologist at a different location for evaluation.
The dermatologist reviews the information later and sends back a report.
This interaction is best described as which telehealth model?